Podcast
Questions and Answers
What does the smell of the cafeteria, which Jimmy and Tim pass after visiting Henry in the hospital, symbolize?
What does the smell of the cafeteria, which Jimmy and Tim pass after visiting Henry in the hospital, symbolize?
- The stark reality and unpleasantness of their current situation. (correct)
- The resilience of routine in the face of grief.
- The comfort of shared meals and memories.
- The anticipation of a comforting meal after a difficult visit.
What underlying theme is conveyed through Henry's arrangement of his own funeral and obituary?
What underlying theme is conveyed through Henry's arrangement of his own funeral and obituary?
- His acceptance of death and desire to ease the burden on Tim. (correct)
- His fear of being forgotten and desire to leave a lasting legacy.
- His meticulous nature and attention to detail in planning events.
- His desire to control all aspects of life, even in death.
How does Tim's initial reaction to the DVD labeled 'TT' reveal his emotional state?
How does Tim's initial reaction to the DVD labeled 'TT' reveal his emotional state?
- It highlights his emotional vulnerability and fear of confronting his father's hidden messages. (correct)
- It demonstrates his curiosity and excitement about discovering family secrets.
- It reflects his calm and composed demeanor in dealing with difficult situations.
- It shows his eagerness to learn more about his father's past.
What does Henry's admission about prioritizing work over family reveal about his character?
What does Henry's admission about prioritizing work over family reveal about his character?
How does Henry's decision to leave the house and Mercedes to Jimmy impact Tim?
How does Henry's decision to leave the house and Mercedes to Jimmy impact Tim?
What is the significance of Tim's decision to name one of his sons 'Henry'?
What is the significance of Tim's decision to name one of his sons 'Henry'?
How might Henry's act of baking a cake for his own father's birthday be interpreted, considering their complex relationship?
How might Henry's act of baking a cake for his own father's birthday be interpreted, considering their complex relationship?
What is the MOST likely reason that the narrator chooses to include descriptive details of Henry's physical state, such as his 'gaunt face' and 'elbows as sharp as knives'?
What is the MOST likely reason that the narrator chooses to include descriptive details of Henry's physical state, such as his 'gaunt face' and 'elbows as sharp as knives'?
What does Tim's statement, 'I finally understood what Dad always knew,' suggest about his personal growth?
What does Tim's statement, 'I finally understood what Dad always knew,' suggest about his personal growth?
How does the description of Henry's office as 'a sanctuary of order in a chaotic world' characterize him?
How does the description of Henry's office as 'a sanctuary of order in a chaotic world' characterize him?
How does the narrator's observation, 'I was there but miles away,' reflect his emotional state during Henry's final moments?
How does the narrator's observation, 'I was there but miles away,' reflect his emotional state during Henry's final moments?
How does Tim's initial failure in the tech industry and subsequent success in the transportation business contribute to his character development?
How does Tim's initial failure in the tech industry and subsequent success in the transportation business contribute to his character development?
What is the likely underlying reason for Henry's insistence on telling Tim 'the whole story' via a recorded DVD?
What is the likely underlying reason for Henry's insistence on telling Tim 'the whole story' via a recorded DVD?
Besides the financial aspects, what deeper significance might be attributed to the 'last investment' of the title?
Besides the financial aspects, what deeper significance might be attributed to the 'last investment' of the title?
How does the contrast between Henry's outward success and his internal struggles contribute to the story's theme?
How does the contrast between Henry's outward success and his internal struggles contribute to the story's theme?
Flashcards
What does "TT" stand for?
What does "TT" stand for?
Henry's childhood pet name for Tim.
What advice did Henry give Tim?
What advice did Henry give Tim?
Henry advised Tim to prioritize family and love over work, learning from his own regrets.
Describe Henry's office.
Describe Henry's office.
A sanctuary of order, smelling of lemon oil and old paper.
What is 'kiddo'?
What is 'kiddo'?
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What is Tim's early background?
What is Tim's early background?
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What caused Henry’s father's death?
What caused Henry’s father's death?
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What is The Sentinal?
What is The Sentinal?
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Who inherited Henry's assets?
Who inherited Henry's assets?
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What is La Citadelle?
What is La Citadelle?
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Study Notes
- Henry is in the hospital, struggling to breathe, with Jimmy and Tim by his side.
- Jimmy raised the hospital bed and helped Henry drink water.
- Tim arrives to the hospital after getting delayed, with Jimmy saying that Tim's dad (Henry) made a bet on what time you'd make it
- Jimmy and Tim leave to get food but instead head outside due to the cafeteria's smell.
- Jimmy reveals he's known Tim since he was a baby.
- Tim reveals he was raised in an orphanage in Haiti and was able to find work at seventeen, after immigrating to America.
- Henry met Tim while vacationing in Haiti, while Tim was working at La Citadelle.
- Henry offered Tim a job in America, changing his life forever.
- Tim expresses his disbelief and regret for not spending more time with Henry.
- Jimmy reminds Tim that Henry is proud of him.
- They return to the medical center after lunch and learn that Henry passed away peacefully in his sleep.
- Four days later, Henry's funeral is held, with every detail arranged by Henry himself.
Visit from the Attorney
- Henry's attorney plans to visit the day after the funeral.
- The next morning, Tim and Jimmy enter Henry's office, filled with lemon oil scented air and comforted by organized objects.
- Tim sits in Henry's chair and opens a desk drawer to find a DVD labeled "TT", Henrys childhood pet name.
- Tim puts the DVD in an old laptop.
The DVD
- On the Laptop, Henry appears on screen, his features gaunt.
- Henry states he wanted Tim and Jimmy to know the whole story of his past.
- Henry's mother, Sarah, died from cancer when he was five.
- Henry's father was a good man lost due to drinking.
- Henry learned to survive amidst poverty by scavenging for scraps and washing dishes.
- Henry describes grade school as a minefield and friendships a luxury.
- Henry landed a job at twelve at Stuart's Diner.
- Fueled by ambition and stubbornness, Henry worked at that diner throughout high school, graduating amongst the top of his class.
- The ER called Henry to the hospital because Henry's father was found collapsed in the street due to liver failure.
- At the bedside, Henry's father told him,"Don't be like me, son, choose family, choose love over work".
- The recording then speaks onto Henry covering his work history, and inspires him "mostly not to work in a factory".
- Henry rose from writer to copy editor to editor at Sentinal newspaper.
- When the paper went up for sale in the 1970s, Henry's boss assisted him to buy it.
- Henry explains that Tim filled his life with meaning and that he always put work before being the father he should have been.
- Henry says that he is leaving most of what he has to charity because he knows Tim is capable of making his own empire.
- The money was nice, but laying in bed made him realize that it meant nothing.
- Jimmy will be receiving the house, Mercedes, and retirement fund.
Time Progression
- The years passed, with fading photographs and hurried phone calls marking the passage of time.
- Birthdays and Christmases blended together.
- Tim built a life in Chicago in tech, found a wife, and started a family.
- Tim, his wife Janet, and kids Henry and James came home.
- Six years prior, Jimmy met Janet at their wedding.
- With great difficulty, Tim admits he mortgaged the house to buy a private jet in the transportation business.
- The bank denied the mortgage and expressed that the transportation business might be a risk, however, through years, the business took off.
- Tim states that the words from his father, "Love Over Work" made him the man he is.
- The wealthy want time, and Tim was able to provide just that to them in his company.
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